Panhellenic spring recruitment registration is now open for young women interested in joining a sorority next semester. Recruitment will kick off with Spring Fling.

“Spring Fling is an informal meet and greet where women can come and meet all 12 chapters and get to know the Panhellenic Community better,” said Katelyn Kucera, the Panhellenic vice president of internal recruitment.

Recruitment events continue throughout the week with some events open to all women and others by invitation only.

Spring recruitment is less formal than fall recruitment, where roughly 1,000 women spend a grueling week in the sun traveling between sorority houses to find their perfect chapter. Spring potential new members, known as PNMs, have a chance to get to know chapters in a more relaxed way.

“If you’re more of a laid back type like me, chances are you’ll enjoy Spring Recruitment. It’s not as crazy as Formal Recruitment, and you’ll be much less anxious than you would have been running around Greek Park in 90-degree weather,” said Laura Bernaldo, a Chi Omega sister who went through recruitment last spring.

Sophomore Karis Lockhart went through both fall and spring recruitment before finding Delta Delta Delta.

“I enjoyed both types of recruitment for different reasons. In the fall I got to meet all of the chapters and see where I thought I would fit in or not, but it was very chaotic and stressful,” Lockhart said. “You’re on a very strict time schedule and you’re surrounded by hundreds of other girls with their own opinions, which could unintentionally sway yours.”

Lockhart didn’t end up joining a sorority in that fall, but went into spring recruitment with an open mind and high hopes.

“In the spring, I went to whatever chapters I was interested in or asked back to, instead of inputting my top favorites into a computer system at the end of every day like I did in the fall,” she said. “I didn’t depend on anyone else’s opinion; it was just me and the sisters at every chapter [who] decided whether I go back to learn more or not. It’s important to remember that you’re always in control of whether or not you want to join that chapter.”

When it comes to spring recruitment, Bernaldo said the most important thing is for PNMs to be their true selves when visiting chapters. She encourages PNMs to be open to all of the chapters because in the end, they’ll find the right one.

“You may not end up with the chapter you thought you’d be perfect in and that’s totally ok,” she said. “You were chosen by these women because they saw the best in you, [so] try to see the best in them. I guarantee that you’ll love them even more than the house you thought you’d end up in.”

Kucera recommends PNMs come to Spring Fling with an open mind and questions ranging from why the chapter went Greek to what the chapter values at its core.

“There are 12 amazing chapters that make up the Panhellenic community, and women should find the chapter that is best for them. I highly encourage women to go to as many chapter’s events as possible,” she said. “The only way to find out if you are a good fit for a chapter, or if that chapter is a good fit for you, is to attend their events and really get to know the sisters and what the chapter values.”

Recruitment will begin Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Pegasus Ballroom in the Student Union.

“At the end of the day you’re going to want to join a chapter that makes you comfortable enough to have mental breakdowns during finals week with your sisters, and also celebrate the greatest times of your college career,” Lockhart said. “Most of all, you want a chapter that will help you graduate college an even better version of yourself than the day you walked into that house during recruitment.”

Visit the UCF Panhellenic website for more info.

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Isabelle D'Antonio is a contributing writer for the Central Florida Future.